480 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part 11 
unaided, but by December 16th they had crossed over 
100 miles of dangerously crevassed glacier and were at 
an altitude of some 6000 ft. The ground steadily rose, 
and on December 28th an altitude of 10,199 ft* was 
attained. The party suffered from a kind of mountain 
sickness, and the lessening food, combined with failing 
strength, made it evident that success was beyond their 
powers. They persevered for a few days longer, until 
January 9th, 1909, when the flag was hoisted in what was 
calculated to be Lat. 88° 23' S., and the return march 
was begun. This was a desperate struggle against 
starvation, failing strength, and disease, for a form of 
dysentery attacked all of the party, and it was only by 
providential fortune that Shackleton and Wild were able 
to reach the Nimrod (which by this time had arrived) on 
March 1st, and the others three days later. The explorers 
had done all that was humanly possible on a somewhat 
inadequate supply of food, due mainly to an insufficiently- 
considered scheme of depot-laying. A noteworthy fact 
was that both on the 'outward and the return journey 
the wind had been very greatly in their favour. 
During the absence of Shackleton and his companions 
on their southward march, the Western Party, consisting 
of Armitage, Priestley, and Brocklehurst, did some work 
in the western mountains and obtained a valuable series 
of geological specimens. On their way back, while 
encamped on the sea ice, it broke up, and they were 
carried out to sea. Their position seemed desperate, for 
some miles of open water separated them from the shore, 
and the day passed without relief, but by the greatest 
good fortune the floe was at length swept back into 
contact with the shore ice for a few seconds and they 
were just able to get across. 
A third expedition was meanwhile being undertaken 
by the Northern Party, which was also composed of 
three men — Professor David, Mawson, and Mackay. 
The main object was accurately to determine the position 
of the South Magnetic Pole, and to reach it, while if 
possible a rough geological survey of the coast of Victoria 
Land was to be made if time and opportunity permitted. 
The start was made on October 5 th, and twelve days 
later, after landing at Cape Bernacchi, the Union Jack 
